Whining 5 year old, help me before I gag her.

[GreenMonkies]

Hi,

My youngest is now 5 and seems to communicate almost exclusively in whines and screeches. She uses volume as a weapon, making as much noise as she can to try to force everyone to do what she wants.

What I don't understand is that I've never pandered to it, never given in to this behaviour, and now that she old enough, I explain to her that I won't respond if she's whining or yelling, but only if she speaks properly to us.

It really is doing my head in, she's such a lovely child unless she's not getting her own way, and then she turns into demon-spawn. But the nails-down-the-blackboard whine and shrill yelling are driving me insane.

Has anyone got any suggestions other than a gag or chloroform?

I tell mine that grown up ears don't understand whiny voices, and then act as if I really don't understand them. I don't think they really believe me, but it does (usually) work. What about rewarding her for days when she hasn't been whiny, or at least rewarding her for the times when she asks for something without whining? The pasta jar approach might work for her.

I was just about to suggest what twocats said. My SIL and brother use the 'I don't understand whining' with my neice and it does work. One day she responded with ' but sometimes I just want to whine', fantastic.

I'm another who doesn't understand whining, just big girl voice/talk. Is working pretty well for us.

I tell DS2 - to sit down until he finds his voice.

God I empathise, all of my children have turned into little nightmares simultaneously, I sometimes literally bang my head on the wall.

It seems to come in peaks and troughs, (ds1, 4 almost 5) just started Reception so he is just impossible atm.

Although his sister has just started juniors and his little brother is nearly 2, so I'm hoping this current rough patch is just that, they are all thoroughly doing my frigging nut in atm.

I prescribe alcohol.

If nothing else I am heartened that mine is not the only one doing it. I don't remember my eldest doing it quite so much, and only when she was tired etc, but the younger one seems to use t as her sole form of communication and it drives me up the wall. She was off school with tonsillitis yesterday and the day before, so I suspect my capacity had reached it's limit. She's gone to school today (thank goodness for Banana Medicine) so I'm feeling calmer.

(is it too early for the alcohol NihilisticBunny?)